Popcorn ceilings were trendy during the 1950s to 1970s. However, it lost its appeal after that for many reasons. If you have a popcorn ceiling in your house, you may even face some problems getting the right price for your house. So, those looking for every opportunity to raise their property value may wonder, does removing popcorn ceiling increase home value?
It will be wise to remove the popcorn ceiling of your house before showing the house to prospective buyers. The buyers may not like the popcorn ceiling as it is outdated. By removing the ceiling, you can increase buyers’ interest and home value.
In this article, I will tell you why you should remove the popcorn ceiling of your house and how it can affect the value of your home. You will also learn how to remove your popcorn ceiling properly.
Does Removing Popcorn Ceiling Increase Home Value?
Removing the popcorn ceiling can increase the value of your house. However, it does not mean that you will see a dramatic rise in your house value. Still, the exclusion of the ceiling will add value nonetheless.
Buyers will definitely look for a house that needs less renovation. So, a popcorn ceiling will not be seen positively as the style has gone out of fashion in the 21st century. Many buyers will see it as an extra cost of money and a waste of time.
Therefore, you should remove the popcorn ceiling and make your house more presentable to the buyers. Without the outdated ceiling, you can have more potential buyers. Hence, the possibility of selling the house increases.
Now, the question is, will the removal of the popcorn ceiling add more value to the house? The answer depends on the size and price of your house.
If you have a small home under $250,000, you don’t have to remove the ceiling. The buyers of small houses may not expect you to remove the ceiling. As the house is small, the new buyers will not have to spend too much on renovation. So, they most likely would not mind removing the popcorn ceiling by themselves.
Since the buyers will not mind the ceiling, it is unnecessary for you to spend extra money to remove a popcorn ceiling from a small house.
On the other hand, you can increase the pricing of your large house by removing the popcorn ceiling. Large houses mean a high price. Moreover, the buyers will also consider the money required to renovate the house. So, when they see the popcorn ceiling, they can lose interest in the house.
Therefore, you should remove the popcorn ceiling. Besides, the exclusion of the ceiling will also increase the property price. Suppose you have a house of 2,000 square feet and worth $350,000. If you remove the popcorn ceiling of the house, you can add $2,700 to $3,500 to the price.
But do not forget that you have to spend money to remove the popcorn ceiling. The cost of removing the ceiling will depend on its size and thickness. It can take $1,800 to $3,000 to remove a popcorn ceiling of a large and expensive house.
So, the added value is not so great, but the chances of selling the house will increase after removing the ceiling. Besides, it is better to sell the house as soon as possible rather than leaving it unsold for buyers who are willing to buy with a popcorn ceiling.
How Removing Popcorn Ceiling Affects the House?
You may want to know how removing the popcorn ceiling of a house increases the value to the buyers. When you get rid of the ceiling, you are also getting rid of some problems related to it.
Houses with popcorn ceilings were popular in the past century. People blindly followed the trend to get acoustic ceilings. But soon, they realized how problematic the ceilings have become. Here is how removing the popcorn ceiling changes your house:
- Getting better light
The textured surface of the popcorn ceiling affects the light of the room. The light comes and gets bounced off from the ceiling. As a result, the light of the room looks dim, and the rooms look lifeless.
- No more Discoloration
If you have a popcorn ceiling, it means you have an old house. And surely the ceiling has discolored over time.
Buyers will not like to see a stained ceiling. So, remove the ceiling to make your house look cleaner.
- Removing Asbestos
From 1950 to 1977, popcorn ceilings were made of asbestos. Later, in 1978, this material was banned for making popcorn ceilings.
Asbestos is poisonous, and people can get seriously ill by inhaling the substance for a long time. Hence, remove the ceiling as soon as possible to make your house safe.
- Keeping the house clean
Dust and other dirt get stuck on the textured and uneven surface of the ceiling. Cleaning the surface regularly is really difficult.
It takes a lot of time and patience. You can solve the problem by removing the textured ceiling.
- Saving expenses
The popcorn ceiling is difficult to patch up. Once it starts to flake, you cannot put it back to the previous state. It will cost you money to fix it.
Besides, if the ceiling is made of asbestos, the air will get poisoned. You can save a lot of money by taking out the popcorn ceiling.
As you can see, removing the popcorn ceiling will make some positive changes in your house. It will surely attract potential buyers as well. Since you will already take care of the ceiling, they will not be bothered about the extra work they would do to fix the house.
How To Remove Popcorn Ceiling?
Popcorn ceilings can be quite difficult to remove. It will cost you both time and money. You can remove it by hiring professionals, or you can do it by yourself.
As I have mentioned before, you have to spend around $1,800 to $3,000 to remove the ceiling. The professionals will charge you based on the size of the area of the ceiling. They might also increase the charge if the popcorn ceiling is made of asbestos.
If you are planning to remove the ceiling on your own, you have to follow some steps. You should be sure that you are capable of doing the job because simple mistakes can cost you more money.
Firstly, completely cover the room and the furniture because the white dust of the ceiling will spread all over the place. Use plastic sheets for large bed sheets to protect things.
Secondly, take some safety measures for yourself. Cover your nose and mouth properly so that the white dust cannot affect your breathing. To protect your eyes from the dust, use safety glasses. If your ceiling is created with asbestos, be more careful. Asbestos can cause serious health hazards. So, test the ceiling material before you start scraping.
Thirdly, spread a lot of water on the popcorn ceiling. You can use a garden sprayer. Let the ceiling soak the water for a while. Then take a drywall taping knife or a putty knife to scrape off the popcorn ceiling.
Conclusion
So, does removing popcorn ceiling increase home value? Yes, it does. Being old fashioned and also having a bad reputation of containing toxic chemicals like asbestos, removing them from your home is a no brainer if you are looking to raise the value of your home. I hope this article was informative enough to help you with your queries. Thanks for stopping by.
